PUBLISHED October 20th, 2012 09:39 am | UPDATED March 30th, 2016 05:28 pm
Does Singapore really still have a countryside? In our urban landscape there seems to be little of nature that’s been left untouched by our zealous attempts at building skyscrapers on every inch of space we can find. For those who need a respite away from it all, there is a slice of greenery to be enjoyed on our little red dot at Kranji Countryside.
A long drive intro the depths of the Kranji Countryside to visit Bollywood Veggies has been on my to-do list for years now, but its secluded location had made me put it off for too long. I finally found the day to make the 45 minute drive there, and the delicious food at the Poison Ivy Bistro made it all worthwhile.
Founded by Ivy Singh-Lm and her husband Lim Ho Seng, Bollywood Veggies is a lush 10-acre farm that grows everything from papayas to lemongrass (we even spotted a cotton tree!) and numerous varieties of bananas. Their farm fresh produce gets cooked in a myriad of ways and served up at their very own Poison Ivy Bistro, where they promote healthy eating – no MSG, less salt, no pork, no lard, and as much locally obtained ingredients used as possible.
We started off with two refreshing drinks – the Lemongrass Tea and Fig Tea ($2 each). Great for cooling off on a hot day!
Their unique Moringa Tempura ($4) is certainly a one-of-a-kind creation I’ve never heard off anywhere else. Leaves of the Moringa tree (also dubbed the ‘drumstick tree’ which we came across while exploring the farm!) are coated with chickpea flour and deep-fried to crunchy perfection. Served with a side of sweet dark sauce, this savoury snack is ridiculously addictive. It’s supposed to be a great source of calcium and vitamin C as well, so snack guilt-free!
As gluttons who wanted to try a bit of everything, we settled for The Scarecrows Platter that is suitable for 2-3 persons and comes with tasting potions of 6 dishes + 1 side, for $10 per pax. The food came nicely presented on a large platter, and we had (clockwise from top right): Achar Fish, Warrior’s Curry Chicken, Bolly Banana Curry, Carrot and Potato Masala, Lemongrass Chicken, Jackfruit Lemak, and a pile of homemade Tapioca Chips.
Banana in curry? That was another first for me – but if not for the name I wouldn’t have known that it was made with the sweet fruit. The banana, fresh off their farm, was more akin to the texture and taste of potatoes.
Both the Lemongrass Chicken and the Warrior’s Chicken Curry starred succulent, tender chicken chunks. The Chicken Curry is made without coconut milk, though you wouldn’t miss it in their mildly spicy rendition of our local favourite.
The Achar Fish had the kick of sour tanginess typical of pickled vegetables infused into fried chunks of moist white-fleshed fish. My favourite of the lot though, would have to be the Jackfruit Lemak, which caught me by surprise with its creamy texture that saw me going back for more. Just like with the bananas in curry, forget what notions you previously had of jackfruit, the fruit here has been cooked in coconut milk till tender and stands in great contrast with the other spicy dishes on the platter. All accompanied by a big bowl of steaming, fluffy white rice!
We were stuffed after all of that, but dessert was most definitely in order. We went for the 3-in-1 platter ($7) of Poison Ivy Bistro’s best hits: Banana Bread, Kueh Kosui (made with gula Melaka and tapioca flour, then tossed in grated coconut), and Kueh Bingka (tapioca cake).
The Banana Bread, made with another variety of banana that is grown in the farm, was wonderfully moist and fluffy. Extra points for warming it up before serving! While the Kueh Bingka was just average, you cannot miss the Kueh Kosui – delicate, soft, melt-in-your-mouth goodness that changed my perception of what kuehs could be. Nothing short of amazing!
Stuffed yourself silly at the bistro? Talk a leisurely walk through their farm and admire all the different varieties of plants grown there…
…you might even spot a chameleon or two along the way! There’s also a small cart selling fresh vegetables and some of their homemade snacks like the tapioca chips and banana bread, so you can live out the experience in your own home, for just a little bit longer.
Poison Ivy Bistro is located at Bollywood Veggies, 100 Neo Tiew Road, Kranji, 719026